…or maybe not? At any rate, I haven’t been paying due attention to the music part of my tagline. Can’t believe I have been neglecting something that is so dear to my heart: Ever since my coming out I’ve been a known as a cookbook addict, but my spending habits concerning CD’s is probably just as bad!? On the other hand, thinking about it, I haven’t invested in new shoes for…hmmm… at least 5 months! Do I have to see a doctor?

No worries, there won’t be a major change in direction – delicious:days is and will continue to be a food blog (the asked for Bircher Müsli recipe just found its way into my mailbox – ‘will post about the results soon). But when I stumbled on Anke’s Q&A about her top trax (Anke writes my favorite movie reviews btw), I felt caught and simply couldn’t resist but compile my own list! I did a little tweaking to the questions and because I’m really bad when it comes to making decisions, I permitted myself to put down everything that came to mind and consequently turned the whole thing into the who’s who of my CD collection…But it was so much fun going through my memories as well as our music archive and think about these questions!

In my opinion, there are only a few things allowing more insight into a person’s mindset than the type of music they consciously choose. Whether it’d be simply as background music or as when taking the time to actively listen to a track. I’m usually quite astounded when people tell me they have no clue what the song is about they’re just listening to. Same with food by the way… I have no lid upon my head, but I’ll pretend to, so you could look inside and see what’s on my [musical] mind ;) The meme thing has probably grown a bit old over the last months, therefore I won’t go as far as passing these questions on to anyone else, but I really would love to read about YOUR favs on your blog! Feel free to take these questions, change them or add your own, and write about your own musical preferences :)

Let’s get it on… OR… Get down to it…

1. Music from your earliest childhood:Yes sir, I can boogie (Baccara) was the first song I remember singing together with my mum. Followed by more cheesy pieces like Mississippi (Pussycats), Leonhard Cohen’s Suzanne, before discovering the good stuff (=dad’s Stones Collection) including Sympathy for the devil (loved the Whoooo-hooo part!) and a lot of ABBA songs (=my mum’s collection). With my limited singing abilities, what started out as fun soon developed into a painful experiences for every listener – I’m always off-key. All the more I envy everybody with a beautiful singing voice…

2. Music you’re connecting your first great love with: Foremost With or without you (U2) and Comfortably Numb, well, Pink Floyd in general – still enjoying both of their music.

3. Music bringing back a special vacation to mind: It’s almost impossible to think of any vacation that’s NOT connected to certain songs or music, so I’ll choose the strongest memories: two years back on a tiny island in the Indian Ocean: two weeks of sun, diving, eating, reading, sleeping – yes, paradise DOES exist. We took several CDs with us to the island, but two songs are irrevocable connected to it: La vie - Philippe Saisse and Looking for the sun - Aya.

4. A song you’d rather not publicly admit to like, whereas in fact you really do: I’m past the age where I felt embarrassed to admit favoring a special song or movie. O’s bewildered looks when I turn the volume up for Doris Day or Neil Diamond songs like this and this however, seem to be an indication for a possibly unshared preference…

5. Music that accompanied you going through severe lovesickness: Besides a best girlfriend listening to your stories in repeat-all mode, music is the broken heart’s best friend. Putting on Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing compares 2U made me cry just like she did in her video, Phil Collins’- Against All Odds made me cry even more… Thank god those times are long, long gone…

6. Music representing your favorite instrumental:The last tango in Paris, eclectic fusion by Gotan Project, is these days my favorite. Love it even more since it appeared in my fave TV show (Nip/Tuck), because now I am able to visualize a video-less song (or is there one?). Or music by Praful and Ottmar Liebert. Older favs would include Albatross by Fleetwood Mac as well as classic easy listening pieces by Bert Kaempfert.

7. Music played by one of your favorite bands: As this answer would differ from day to day, depending on what mood I’m in on that particular day, I’d rather talk about the band that has accompanied me for the longest period of time in my life. U2. Classics like Bad and Where the streets have no name, soulful ballads such as Miss Sarajevo or Running to stand still and more modern tracks - I love them all. Never just pop-lyrics…

8. Music that allows you to relax best: Tunes that create a special atmosphere like Porcelain by Moby are perfect examples, even though this song has been exploited by any and every TV travel magazine. Same with Bebel Gilberto’s soothing voice, Air’s and Schiller’s dreamy melodies.

9. Music standing for a real good time in your life: As I tend to only memorize good times more than bad times, it’s pretty hard to decide which songs to pick. What’s up by 4 Non Blondes was the theme song when my friends and I finished school and had a wonderful summer – sleeping in forever, sweltry days at a pool or lake, just partying and having fun! Sing it back by Moloko and Drinking in L.A. by Bran Van 3000 stand for even more party nights while studying in Regensburg…

11. Music you like, neither German nor English: Everything Adriano Celentano. Totally adore him! First memories going back to countless holidays in Italy together with my grandparents where my grandma and I spent a lot of evenings at a run-down cinema on uncomfortable wooden chairs, watching his trashy movies. Top ones include Una festa sui prati, Prisencolinesunaciusol and Cosi Come Sei.

12. Music you can let off steam best to: Well, first of all, it has to be loud, real loud!!! Thankfully our neighbors are very tolerant (it also doesn’t happen all that often) ;) Sabotage from Beastie Boys works well, so does It ain’t over from the soundtrack to Hustle & Flow or Stop the Rock by Apollo 440.

13. Music reminding you of a special event (& what was it!): The same thing can happen with food, but certain songs coincidentally heard on the radio or elsewhere can take me back in history within seconds – sometimes with overwhelming intensity. I really treasure those rare moments…Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel puts me right back to school: Having dance lessons (girls only), learning rather stupid moves (moving one arm like you were balancing a cake), boys from a neighboring school peeking through the windows… and a furious sports teacher running to catch them. Edvard Grieg’s Morning Mood puts me back on a horse: We had been training hard for the annual Christmas dressage and were supposed to ride an elegant quadrille consisting of 8 horses. We had managed to get the horses used to classical music before – but as soon as the audience started to welcome the riders and horses (a real warm welcome!), it must have looked more like rodeo than dressage. Although the audience sat as quiet as a mouse from that moment on, the horses acted all psyched for the rest of the performance…

14. Soundtracks that complete an almost perfect movie: Being a movie addict as much as a music lover, a great movie HAS TO HAVE a great soundtrack – such as Staying alive, The Graduate, The way we were, Kill Bill, Mulholland Drive, The Virgin Suicides, Lost in translation and many more…

15. A song you like because of its lyrics:Sommer in der Stadt (translates to “Summer in town”) by Spider Murphy Gang: A German song about the beauty of summertime in Munich and its special places, including lines like “I’m running naked through the English Garden, sitting stoned at the Monopteros” or “I sip my iced coffee at the Rialto“(..hm, it doesn’t translate well)…Despite noon’s scorching heat, sweaty people in packed underground trains, everything becomes bearable – even charming (to an extent) – when my iPod plays this song ;)

Songs that never fail to lift your mood: The one and only Elvis with Love Me Tender (the laughing version). Here is the background story to this recording, equally funny! U2 – Beautiful day Raemonn – All right Cheryl Crow – Soak up the sun OBI – Somewhere nicer

I am amazed at how many of your favorites are also some of mine. Perhaps there is some link between people who like food and musical tastes. hmmm? Thanks for sharing your musical interests. For the few I am not familiar with I will definately be checking them out.

Elena

Feb 28th, 2006

Great idea! I usually try to get a glimpse of other peoples’ bookshelf and CD collection, because it reveals much about the person’s interest and character. Some tracks you picked belong to my favourites, too, Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah is absolutely breathtaking and GP’s Revancha del tango is a great piece of work, relaxing and energetic at the same time.

What about "5 best songs you listen to while cooking" or "songs you find yourself singing while washing the dishes?"

I also find my tastes are similar to yours, but I only recently realized that I don't devote nearly as much time to my love of music as I used to. Perhaps something I need to get back into...

SallyBR

Feb 28th, 2006

First.... let me say I love your website and check it often.

Second.... apart from the Italian singer (don t know him, but will have to look for a CD), I share a very similar taste for music....

Sooo, I decided to suggest a CD for you: Astor Piazolla, Tango Zero Hour. It is breathtakingly beautiful, lifts the spirit in a sensual way... gotta go listen to it, you won t be disappointed.
I was born in Brazil, so let me also say that you will love anything by the late Tom Jobim (Bossa Nova at its best)

Oh my gosh, I loved this post. I love hearing about new songs and bands from other people - so much fun. I have to recommend one great Portugese (I believe) artist who I've been loving recently --- and seeing as though we like a lot of the same music, it might be right up your alley --- Cesaria Evora. Absolutely great!

I was delighted to see the lyrics to "let you down" in your post. That is my favorite DMB song! Currently I am obsessing over the Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins album "Rabbit Fur Coat". Love the blog!

Hi Hag, I'm really amazed how often people I get along with pretty well -both online and offline- have a similar taste in music... I guess it's all about enjoying the pleasures in life ;)

Elena, La revancha del tango definitely is a great piece of work! Have you had a chance to listen to Inspiracion Espiracion as well?

Hanna, To be completely honest, this compilation isn't even remotely complete, I could have gone on writing this list for hours... “5 best songs you listen to while cooking” or "5 best songs for long drives", "5 best summer songs"... What you wrote about the time you devote to the love of music sounds very familiar to me: While there are times I pick up a new CD every other week (or more frequently), there are also times, where I don't discover/buy anything new for months... As long as we don't completely forget about it... ;)

SallyBR, Thanks for your feedback :) All I can say is check him out (A. Celentano)! He is known for having a strong personality (hard-headed, egocentric) and one of the songs he is really famous for is "Azzuro", which you may have heard before. And thanks a lot for the recommendations, will check them out at my next stop at the CD shop or iTunes! I've listened to Antonio Carlos Jobim before, not Tom though - 'will have to catch up on him, too!

Gia, Just as much as I like to receive good recommendations, I love to point others to music I enjoy myself :) Discovering and browsing albums and song samples on iTunes sometimes puts me in a different world, sucking me right in and I occasionally forget about food...

Radish, Ahh, finally another A. Celentano fan! Last night we had pizza at a nearby Italian restaurant we've been to many times before, but yesterday, for the first time they actually played Celentano! What a nice coincidence :) Needless to say, I really enjoyed the evening...

Marco, Thanks, I just made note of the name, so it's added to the soon-to-be-checked-out-list"!

Bea, I was totally delighted, when i found Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah being used on the soundtrack of “Lord of war” some weeks ago...
Thanks for your recommendations, I know Emiliana Torrini already (beautiful!), will check out the rest!

thesparkler, When O read your comment this morning, he was particularly delighted to find out, that the DMB excerpt was actually picked up. DMB used to be the music accompanying him through his postgrad times at UCONN!

Hi Nicky - thanks for giving us a glimpse into your music world! I enjoyed reading about your favourite songs; am pleased to realise that I have at least heard of (almost:) most of them, like quite a lot of them, and have seen few of them perform live as well. No iPod though:(